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HOME> #CreativeFriday – Using a GPX log for waypoints and routes in the Lightroom Map Module

#CreativeFriday – Using a GPX log for waypoints and routes in the Lightroom Map Module

As we already know using GPS data can be extremely handy. GPS receivers for the camera typically take the GPS data of the location of where the picture was taken and embeds it into the EXIF data of the picture. When Lightroom reads this EXIF data it’s able to then find out where in the world the image was taken by referencing the GPS data by using the google map service.

Some of the more comprehensive devices also contain waypoint and track information as well. Once this additional data has been recorded then Lightroom can be used to show the route and where the pictures were taken.

Let us take these examples, they were taken from my iPhone’s camera then automatically imported into Lightroom mobile

At the same time I had a GPX logger running as well

Lightroom on the iPhone was then used to transfer the pictures back to Lightroom on the desktop.

These pictures were taken randomly whilst walking through a town centre one evening, but demonstrates the use of the track log quite well.

The GPX track logger was started just before the first picture was taken and stopped just after the last picture was taken. What’s important here (although can be fixed later), is the matching up of the date /time of the camera as well as the date/time of the GPX/GPS receiver (if they are separate).

To get the GPX data in this case, I used drop box, but some applications like this use email. Other hardware devices may use a different mechanism. You will need to work out the best way of getting the GPS data to your computer.

Once in Lightroom on the desktop, move to the Map module. The images are selected in Lightroom (using either the film strip or the collections) and the Map will take the GPS data from them and place the pictures on the Map (the yellow markers shown below are the representation of the pictures).

Clicking on each picture will show a thumbnail of the image.

With the GPX data ready, click on the tracklog button (marked in red below). The load track log fly out menu will appear, select this, and select the GPX track log data. If there is no bar at the bottom of the screen, then press the ‘T’ key for it to be turned on.

Once the tracklog has been loaded, the images will be connected together by a line, this shows the route taken.